Stories from the Edge
by JRuss93
Summary: The story of a talented pony who desires peace in his life, but must constantly fight to protect his homeland, as no one else can. One day, an emergency brings him together with six mares who change his life, but his friendship with them will be hampered by his duties, unless a solution to his problem is found. Mainly OC POV. Title is tentative. Additional info in chapter 1 A/N.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Edge. Story Edge.

Yeah, I know, sounds like a typical, cheesy, hero introduction. But I just introduce myself that way because I really prefer to go by Edge. Having people call me "Story" just feels weird.

Anyway, introduction aside, this story is about the unusual and exciting events that led me to meet a very special group of mares. Six friends who, even though we only met for a single night, have a closer place in my heart than anyone I know here in my homeland.

…I really hope I can see them again someday. If things were different, I would gladly stay with them in their town, Ponyville, but unfortunately, I cannot leave this land for long, because…

Well, it would be simpler if I just tell you the story of the day when I met them. Every time I think of them, I can't help but let my thoughts drift back to that day, anyway…

_1 Week ago…_

I woke up to another bright day in my homeland, Maretonia. It's a fair-sized, mainly self-sufficient kingdom, though kingdom may not be the right name, as our rulers merely call themselves Duke and Duchess. Maretonia is to the east of the royal capital, Canterlot, half a day's travel at best by hoof, but only a few hours by wing. The Equestrian Express, the train service that connects much of Equestria, does not reach Maretonia, so we don't see a lot of new faces, and most ponies who come here are here to stay.

Maretonia is one of the few areas of Equestria that is not under the governance, direct or indirect, of Princess Celestia. We are not at odds with her, but the Duke and Duchess, although not bad ponies by any means, are not trusting enough of others to willingly put their subjects and themselves under the authority of another. Thankfully, the Princess never pushes the issue, but merely maintains an open invitation to join under her rule, while allowing us to continue our own affairs peacefully, even as we refuse.

All of these politics are a bit over my head, though. I only know as much as I do because I hear a lot from those who work in the noble court, and occasionally from the Duke and Duchess themselves, as my jobs have me interact with them from time to time.

You might wonder, what job could I fulfill that would warrant the attention of a Duke and Duchess? What could I, a simple dark blue unicorn of slightly small stature but with a strong build, dark blue eyes, a jet black mane and a dark red vest that I always wear, do to impress nobility?

Well, the answer lies within my talent. Talents, really. My cutie mark is a quill pen and a sword, crossed to form an X over a shield. An odd combo, to be sure. My primary talent is the use of pen (No "The pen is mightier than the sword" jokes, please), particularly in writing fantasy stories. I love writing more than doing almost anything else, and my books, though they are only published in Maretonia, are quite popular. I publish under a pseudonym, though, because although I treasure the knowledge that my work is loved, I really don't want the spotlight. I don't typically enjoy a lot of attention, particularly from ponies I don't even know. I'm also good with art, which has its… uses, but writing is my big thing.

My second talent, which is arguably nearly as strong as my first, is use of the sword. I am an excellent swordsstallion, both with telekinesis and hoof-held style. I can fight mouth-held style too, but I really don't care for it. Hurts my teeth, and puts my neck too close to the action. This talent, more than my writing, gives me my link to the noble court. I suppose that is also where the shield part of my mark comes from, but somehow I feel that may not be the case. I just don't know.

Maretonia is attacked regularly by Timberwolves and other mystical creatures. No one is sure where they keep coming from, but the royal guard's competency in handling them has historically been found… wanting. However, my talent and skill with sword and magic allow me to handle most such creatures with relative ease, and so I am charged with protecting the city. In doing this, I earn room and board, so I may focus on my writing when danger is not present, and occasionally the Duke and Duchess thank me personally for defending the land from a particularly nasty beast, and they have sometimes commended me when they found one of my stories especially interesting.

_Speaking of stories, I'm stuck solid on this one, dangit!_

My current book needed a character who could almost unfailingly support and raise the spirits of his or her comrades, and who was bright and happy enough to keep everyone smiling even through the hard times, and there will be some hard times in this story, to be sure. But I find it hard to imagine a personality so happy, optimistic, bubbly, and cheerful, let alone what that kind of pony would look like on paper. I really need to get further into this story, but I just can't do it without this supporting character. _I'm not used to this, I never have this much trouble creating characters_.

A rumbling sound in my stomach cuts into my thoughts. _It's 10:00, I should probably get breakfast…_ I guess I get a little too focused on my writing sometimes, but you can't just let a good creative run slide! I figure maybe breakfast and some morning air will clear my head, help me come up with this character. _Who knows, maybe something will happen to strike me with inspiration while I'm out!_

Little did I know just how true that thought would be.

**A/N: Alright, a few notes on this story: This story is mainly OC POV, and for parts of the story follows the canon storyline, but with some differences, mostly caused by the presence of my OC. Other parts of the story will be fully original (i.e., they won't be tied to the canon storyline) This story is partly inspired by two of my favorite MLP fics, A New Hero by AlexLoneWolf and the Dusk Noir series of fics by AlphatheGriffin17, both of which are great stories, so a big thanks to both of those authors, and also to my cousin, who has been providing me with feedback on my stories!**

**The first couple of chapters are mostly exposition, and in chapter 3, there'll be some good action, and the plot will start kicking into gear!**

**Pairings in this story are mostly undecided, the only certain ones are OCxPinkie Pie and OCxSpike. Any other pairings I do will likely be just canon characters, like Rainbow DashxSoarin, Flashlight, ect., but again, undecided.**

**Oh, and if you want to see what Edge looks like, here's his pony creator code:**  
><strong>38271H4100181859FFC49D00000005291UO1837001000000V0000000FF7FFF0D107F3FCC004CB2<strong>

**And here's the accessory code for his vest:**  
><strong>066CC66066CC66066CC667911C1C066C0CC04E8FBAFFFF8C066CC66066CC66066CC66066CC66<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

(Edge's POV)

I headed out of my home near the gates of Maretonia, located so that I would be nearby if I were suddenly needed to deal with some external threat, looking for a good place to eat breakfast. Maretonia was divided into three layers, essentially. The city was built against a high cliff face (High enough that no living thing except maybe a grown dragon could drop into the city without flying) and surrounded by a half-circle wall, so the layers were formed in semicircles, with a center in the middle of the city up against the cliff face, rather than circular or square layers around a center point.

The outer layer was where many of the lesser military facilities were, such as the barracks and training facilities, as well as my house, which was far enough away from the other facilities that their noise wouldn't bother me. Also, this was where the businesses that worked with materials, such as the smith and tailor, were located. Lastly, this was where the gates of the city were, the only viable way in or out of the city, unless you were a Pegasus, and that wasn't a great idea either, as part of the city's guard was composed of archers who guarded the walls.

The second layer of the city was much more popular, containing most of the housing, as well as most of the more service-oriented businesses, such as restaurants, bakeries, and florists. The innermost layer of the city held the Duke and Duchess' palace, as well as the homes of the higher officials in the noble court. This morning, my path led me to the middle layer of Maretonia, in search of my favorite restaurant. There weren't a lot of ponies out, most of them having moved on past breakfast and gotten on to their daily routines by now.

As I made it to the restaurant I was looking for, I remembered what day it was. _Oh, great…_

Once every month, I had a single particularly busy day. First, I had to head to the training grounds and spar with the captains of the guard, a task the Duke assigned me to help keep the skills of his officers sharp. After that, I had to visit the palace for a long and boring discussion about the general state of Maretonia, mainly economics. To add to the "fun", my only purpose in the discussion usually is to give what is supposed to be a report on any threats and attacks on the kingdom, but that I usually am either required or expected to cram into a 2-minute speech basically saying that any attacks we've suffered have been repelled successfully, and making the guard force sound more effective than it really is. _Looks like a grab and go breakfast for me. _ After buying a sandwich to go, I ran for the training facility to begin my duties.

The better part of the day passed in a blur. I enjoyed the training session more than usual, we have a new Unicorn officer in the guard who is actually quite skilled, and though he has much less experience than me, he provides more of a challenge to me than the others. Maybe someday he'll be able to take my place. I've wanted someone who could take my place in defending the city for a while now, but no one has been up to the task yet. It's not that the guard force was bad per se, but they all lacked one thing that was vital to defending against the monsters that attack the city: The ability to wield weaponry with magic effectively. The monsters that attacked Maretonia could often only be defeated by the use of weapons and magic in very skilled conjunction. Unfortunately, there were few Unicorns in the guard and none, except perhaps this newcomer, had the required talent with magic and weapons.

After the sparring session, I had to hurry to make it to the stupid conference in time. The conference was every bit as boring as expected, if not more so, but afterwards, I was finished for the day! However, it was 7:00, all I had eaten that day was a sandwich, and dusk was in 1 hour, tops. I needed some food. I went to the same restaurant as this morning, except this time I got a table and a heartier sandwich, along with some hay fries. Not too healthy, but I needed something in my system. I ate fairly quickly, but not in any huge rush. Just as I finished I realized that is was almost dusk. _Seems a bit early…_ Then I remembered, tonight was the night before the Summer Sun Celebration. Celestia always lowered the sun just a little early, so she could have a little extra time to rest before the Summer Sun ceremony. I started running for the city gates, and not two minutes later I felt my horn spark with the calling spell that connects me to the leader of the guards. The spell he activates every day at dusk, when the city is about to be attacked by monsters. _Showtim_e_._

Time to kick some Timberwolf tail.

**Mostly exposition here, but there'll be some good action next chapter, and the plot will start to kick into gear more!  
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	3. Chapter 3

(Edge's POV)

I burst out of the city gates, using my magic to draw my sword from one of my vest pockets, undoing the compression spell I placed on it to return it to full size, and keep it in front of me as I assess the monsters ahead of me.

Five Timberwolves, actually a pretty small group compared to what I usually deal with. But as I got a good look at them, I realized that something was off. These Timberwolves had red eyes, unlike the usual yellow. Not only that, but they seemed to be shuddering a little, and the magic aura that held them together almost seemed to be… leaking, if that makes any sense. What's more, they hadn't charged yet or made any of their usual challenging growls or howls. It was almost as if they were stalking, sizing me up. This unusual behavior left me a bit uneasy.

By now, the Timberwolves had gotten pretty close, the head one only a few meters away. I sent my sword across the distance, taking an experimental slash at the creature's ribcage. My sword destroyed the wood there, much as I expected, but what I did not expect was the explosion that followed.

It was very similar to quickly stabbing an inflated balloon with a needle, only much more dangerous. Even from the distance I was at, several pieces of wood nicked and thumped me, and the release of magical energy sent a buzz through my body. _I don't want to think about what would have happened if that had happened while I was in close quarters like I normally am._ It was clear that I wouldn't be able to use my usual tactics in fighting these creatures.

That assessment was proven even truer as two of the Timberwolves howled at me in anger, and as they opened their mouths, magical beams shot out, very similar to shots from a Unicorn's horn. I dodge rolled to the left, barely evading the blasts, and the Timberwolves paused for a moment, as if they too were surprised by their actions. I used the hesitation to take out one more wolf, this time far enough away to avoid the explosion. However, before I could do anything else, the three remaining Timberwolves fired at me, and one of the blasts nicked my horn as I ducked, causing a stinging pain to shoot through me and disrupting my magical grip on my sword. One of the wolves stepped on the sword, preventing me from getting it back. I realized that I had no choice but to use my ace in the hole.

I used my magic to pull my quill and drawing pad out of my vest, and while I frantically dodged and rolled to avoid the Timberwolves' continued magic blasts, I channeled magical energy into my pen, tapping into the store of energy in the pen itself. The spell I was about to use would take a lot of energy, which was why I always kept a reservoir of magic stored into my special quill pen. Using the store of energy, I cast the spell, my horn glowing far brighter than usual, and quickly sketched a pair of wings, continuing to dodge magic blasts and charging Timberwolves all the while.

As soon as I finished the drawing, it glowed brightly before disappearing in a flash. I hastily put away my quill and paper, and a moment later, a burst of light came from my back, causing the Timberwolves to shield their eyes, and me to close mine. As the light faded, two wings were left in its place. The wings were strong fliers, and the front edges were adorned with a dark gunmetal-colored metal almost as sharp as my own sword, and with one other special property.

I immediately took to the sky for better maneuverability. Two of the Timberwolves fired straight at me, and I crossed my wings in front of me so that the beams hit the metal adorning them. I knew from past experience that the wing blades I now wore were made of a magic-reflecting metal. As the beams hit, they were deflected harmlessly into the air. One of the wolves fired again, and this time I slapped the beam with my wing, directing it back to the ground. Specifically, towards the Timberwolf that was still standing on my sword. _Bulls-eye!_

After grabbing my sword back from the spot where the Timberwolf used to be, I made short work of the other two, striking one with my sword from a safe distance, the explosion being enough to destroy the other wolf, which was standing right next to the first.

After the last wolf was gone, I reactivated the compression spell on my sword and but it away as I stood there, panting with exertion and adrenaline, extremely grateful for my special talent, which included the special creating spell my father had taught me years ago. The ability to use any sort of art manifestation spell was rare, even among those with art-based cutie marks. When my father taught me the spell a few years ago, he told me that he had never seen a Unicorn with such capacity for the spell, and for reasons unknown I had an additional affinity for creating those wings in particular, a blessing I was especially grateful for today.

While I was lost in thought, a Unicorn medic from the city ran up to me. "Sir Edge, are you alright? Do you have any wounds that need tending?"

"No, I'm fine. But you need to get a couple of mages here immediately to cast a dissipation spell on the Timberwolf energy here. These were no ordinary Timberwolves, and if they reform into an Alpha, we'll all be in trouble!" I explain to him, and immediately turn and take off into the air.

I hear the medic's protesting cries, but I can't stop. I've always been an avid reader, and I know from my studies that an instability in natural magic like what I saw in those Timberwolves could only mean very bad things. I flew for Ponyville, the site for this year's Summer Sun ceremony, to seek out Princess Celestia, and I had to get there before my wing spell wore off.

I had to tell her Equestria was in danger. I didn't know what kind of danger, only that it was worse than anything that had happened in my lifetime.

**A/N: It's 5 o'clock in the morning... This is where I'd put my sleep... If I had any! Lol anyway, this was my first attempt at writing action in an MLP story, and I'm actually happy with how it turned out! Hope anyone reading this liked it as well! Next chapter tomorrow or the day after! Till next time! /)**

**Oh yeah, also, in case anyone was wondering, Edge is not an Alicorn in disguise or anything. His wings are similar to the wing spell Twilight uses on Rarity, but it's easier to do, the wings are more fit for battle (And don't disintegrate in sunlight), and they don't last as long. Oh, and while they are there, his wings are vulnerable to harm, just like the rest of his body, though they are partially protected.  
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**Lastly, if you want to see what Edge looks like with his wings, here is the corresponding pony creator code:  
><strong>

**38271H41A018185961616000000005291UO1837001000000V0000000FF7FFF0D107F3FCC004CB2**


	4. Chapter 4

As I flew, I found my thoughts drifting towards my destination. I had heard about the various areas under Celestia's rule, due to conversations with the few travelers who visited Maretonia, and from what I heard, life in Ponyville is much different than it is in Maretonia. It was the kind of place where almost everypony was comfortable with each other, where making friends could be as simple as introducing yourself and striking up a conversation, and a friendless pony was almost unheard of. From what I had heard, it was a very calm and self-sufficient community, where anyone was welcome and all lived in peace.

Life in Maretonia was very different indeed. Ponies were rarely openly hostile or even cold towards each other, but all the same, it felt as if true friendship was not a very common thing. While everypony was civil towards each other, most ponies kept only a small circle of friends, while interactions with ponies outside of those groups were… shallow, for lack of a better word.

Ugh, I feel like I'm just rambling on in circles. Really, while all that I feel about Maretonia is true, perhaps part of the reason I felt this way because I have no true friends myself. And it's not as though I don't want to have friends, either. I have people I interact with on a friendly level, to be sure, but there's no one in Maretonia who I truly resonate with. It's hard to explain what I mean, but I just fell like there's something missing…

Suddenly my introspection was interrupted as I felt a tingling sensation on my sides. I glanced back and my eyes widened in surprise. My wings were quickly dissolving into particles of loose magic. While I knew my spell would wear off, I thought it would have lasted longer than it did. _Maybe those Timberwolves weakened my magic when they nicked my horn. It doesn't matter why, I've got to get to the ground, now!_ I dove to the ground as fast as I could, and my wings finally gave out when I was about 5 feet off the ground.

I managed to land safely, and broke off into a trot, determined to reach Canterlot as fast as possible, and from there take the train to Ponyville. Judging from the position of the moon, I had been flying for about three hours. _Wow, I can't believe how fast that time seemed to pass. I guess I was in deeper thought than I realized._

Even going at a pace that would leave me exhausted by the time I reached Canterlot, it would take another two or three hours to reach Canterlot, and from there at least two hours on the train to Ponyville. _Guess I'd better be about it…_

After what seemed like a neverending run, I finally arrived at the gates of Canterlot, actually having to walk right by the train tracks for the last bit of the journey, as the only way in or out, by ground at least, was through a small guard outpost the tracks passed through. As I approached, I was confronted by a couple of royal guards, armed with spears.

"Halt! Who goes there? Few come to Canterlot on hoof, and fewer still in the middle of the night. State your purpose!" one of the guards stated boldly, leveling his spear in my direction.

"Please…" I asked, panting with exhaustion. "I simply need to board a train to Ponyville. I swear I have no ill intentions. I must get to Ponyville to see Princess Celestia, it is an emergency!"

"Hmmm." The guard seemed to consider my words, and I noticed that he looked different from the other guards, having a stronger build, as well as more elaborate armor, a white coat, and a two-toned blue mane. "Alright, I believe you. It's obvious you have travelled a long way, you look exhausted. But first, I must know: are you armed at all?"

I sighed, knowing I had to be honest, but hoping the truth wouldn't damage my credibility. "Yes, I carry a sword in my vest pocket, kept under a compression spell for convenience, but it is only for protection of myself and others, I would never-"

The guard held up a hoof to forestall my explanation as he approached me. I grew a little worried until he spoke again. "No need to explain, your honesty says enough to me." He directed a smirk towards me. "My weapon detection spell would have told me if you had lied, so it's good that you didn't." He held out a hoof towards me. "My name is Shining Armor, Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard."

My eyes widened in surprise as I shook his hoof. "My name is Story Edge, but I go by Edge. I had no idea I was speaking to the captain himself, though I suppose that explains the different appearance."

Shining Armor chuckled slightly as he turned and gestured down the path with his head, growing serious. "Follow me to the train station. You can tell me more about this emergency."

I followed Shining Armor, calling upon what little strength I had left at this point. _It may be a little selfish, but I hope the train ride is a long one. I need a nap badly…_ "Honestly, I don't know what the emergency is exactly, but back at my homeland, I encountered some… strange Timberwolves. It's hard to explain, but they were very dangerous, and I'm sure they were the result of a serious imbalance in Equestria's natural magic. An imbalance like that could never be a good thing, as far as I know," I explained.

"I see," Shining Armor replied with a concerned frown. "I would offer to come with you, but if there truly is a threat to Equestria, I may be needed here all the more. I will have to trust you to warn the Princess of this."

"Of course. You cannot simply abandon your duty. I only hope that my absence does not put my home in danger," I said with a sigh.

"For what it's worth, I think your home would likely be in worse danger if you didn't warn Celestia. I'm sure she will be able to handle the situation," Shining Armor assured, just as we reached the Canterlot train station.

"Board this train," Shining Armor said, pointing towards the train that was facing out of the city. "I'll get one of the guards right away to drive the train, as the conductor is asleep at this hour."

"Thank you very much for your assistance, Captain Armor," I said tiredly.

Shining Armor chuckled. "Just Shining or Shining Armor is fine." His face shifted to a concerned one. "Are you sure you're alright to travel? Frankly, you look terrible, like you've been running for hours or something."

"Honestly, I _have_ been running for hours." His eyes widened a little as I said this. "I'll rest during the train ride though, and I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Alright, then. I'll be right back." With that, Shining Armor ran off towards the city, and I boarded the train.

A couple minutes later, Shining returned with a guard by his side, who immediately boarded the front of the train to get it underway. Meanwhile, Shining addressed me one more time. "You have my sincere thanks for your efforts in protecting Equestria, Edge."

I shook my head in dismissal. "Don't worry about it. I couldn't simply stand by while Equestria is in danger, whatever the situation."

Shining Armor smiled at this, and held out his hoof to shake mine again. "It was good to meet you, Edge. Your sort of dedication is just the kind of thing we look for in the best of Celestia's Guard." I smiled and nodded in appreciation as I shook his hoof. Just then, the train started, almost ready to depart.

"Oh, hey!" Shining exclaimed. "If it's not too much to ask, after you've spoken with Celestia about the problem, if you happen to run across a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, please give her this for me." He held out a rolled up scroll, which I took.

"Alright, I will. What does she look like?" I asked.

"She has a purple coat, and her cutie mark looks a lot like the star on my mark," Shining explained, gesturing to his cutie mark, which was a shield with a magenta six-pointed star in front of it, and three smaller stars above it. "Twilight is my sister, and the letter is something I wrote when I was last away from Canterlot. I never had the chance to send it, and just after I got back, Twilight left for Ponyville to help organize the Summer Sun Celebration, and I didn't deliver it then, either. I don't know for sure how long she'll be gone, and I can't mail it to her there currently."

A moment later, the train began its journey, slowly picking up speed, as I addressed Shining Armor one more time. "Alright, I'll do my best to see that it is delivered. If I cannot, I will at least return the letter to you."

"Thank you! And all speed be with you on your journey!" he exclaimed, waving farewell.

With that, the train left the station and began its journey to Ponyville in earnest. I quickly felt even more tired than before, due to the rhythm of the train running over the tracks. _I really hope I make it to Celestia in time. I really need to rest now though, or I may not even make it off the train when I get to Ponyville._

With that, I found a comfortable seat to lay on for a short, rejuvenating nap, hoping to wake both at Ponyville and ready to take on whatever comes my way, rather than being dead tired like I am now.

**A/N: Alright, Edge is finally almost to Ponyville! Next chapter, the story will start to merge with canon events. I'm trying to do my best to make this story interesting and make it more than just a novelization of episodes you've all probably seen, while still staying alongside the original storyline. I think I'll be able to do so, especially once things really get rolling.**

**Also, thanks to bluecatcinema for reviewing! This story hasn't gotten much in the way of views or feedback yet, so I appreciate any that I get.  
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**Next chapter in a day or two!  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

A steady change in motion alerted me and brought me out of my restful state. As I sat up, I realized that the train I was on one was coming to a stop, presumably at Ponyville.

I sprung up from my seat, the fatigue from my long trip having mostly faded, and trotted to the train door, opening it with my magic and stepping outside into the night. _Alright, I need to find where the celebration is. Probably in some central building, like a castle or town hall. And seeing as this town doesn't have a castle…_ After looking around a moment, I found the town hall, which was in fact the only building in town with lights on at this time of night, and immediately started towards it.

I slipped in quietly, hoping to find the princess before the ceremony began. As I surveyed the area, I noticed a balcony with a large curtain and a group of songbirds managed by a pale yellow Pegasus mare with a light pink mane and blue-green eyes. I assumed that that would be where the Princess would emerge.

Just as I started towards the balcony to find a way up to where Celestia was, I was brought to a stop as the birds began their song, officially commencing the ceremony. _Looks like I'm too late. I can't just interrupt the ceremony. I'll have to get to Celestia immediately after._

As the birds sang, a spotlight shone below the balcony to reveal a brown mare wearing glasses who stepped out from behind a curtain and addressed the crowd. "Fillies and gentlecolts! As mayor of Ponyville, it is my pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" A round of excited cheers followed her announcement.

"In just a few moments," she continued, "our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria… Princess Celestia!"

A Unicorn mare with a white coat, stylish purple mane, and blue eyes pulled a rope, opening the curtain on the balcony to reveal- nothing?! _Where's the Princess?_ The white mare gave off an exclamation of confusion as a feeling of deep unease crept into me. I tried to tell myself that there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for this, but I knew somehow that something was very wrong.

"This _c__an't_ be good," I heard a worried voice off to my left say.

"Remain calm, everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation," the mayor stated, trying to calm the uneasy crowd.

"Ooh! Ooh! I love guessing games! Is she hiding?" I turned my head towards the voice, caught off guard by the sudden optimistic statement, which came from a mare with a light pink coat, bright pink frizzy mane and tail, and innocent bright blue eyes, who was standing by a lavender Unicorn mare with purple eyes and a dark blue-purple mane that had pink and purple stripes in it. I noticed that the purple mare's cutie mark was a magenta six-pointed star with five smaller stars around it. _That's the same star from Shining Armor's cutie mark! That must be Twilight._ I returned my attention to the balcony, deciding to worry about that matter after the present crisis was handled.

The white mare from the balcony returned into view, having gone to search for the Princess. "She's gone!" she stated, almost disbelievingly, eliciting a huge collective gasp from the audience and increasing my worry. _Please, don't let me have been too late._

"Ooohh, she's _good_," stated the same cheery pink mare from a moment ago. Despite the situation, I snickered slightly at her unusual reaction to the situation.

A moment later, the same mare gasped in panic, followed by the rest of the crowd. I turned to see what had frightened everypony, and let out a small gasp myself as I saw an eerie blue-purple mist appear on the balcony, which quickly morphed into a large, intimidating mare with a pitch-black coat. I immediately noticed she had both a long, sharp horn and powerful wings. _She's an Alicorn, like Celestia!_ The dark alicorn had jade eyes with narrow oval pupils, which enhanced her fearsome appearance, as did her mane and tail, which consisted of the same mist she emerged from, as well as the pale blue armor she wore on her head, chest, and hooves. The armor on her chest bore a crescent moon, matching her cutie mark. _Her appearance… It seems familiar. But I can't place where I've seen it._

After a moment, the dark mare spoke in a tone that sounded both pleased and mocking at the same time. "Oh, my beloved subjects, it's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces."

As many in the crowd trembled in fear, a Pegasus mare with a light blue coat, rainbow mane, and magenta eyes rose into the air and addressed the dark Alicorn in a challenging tone. "What'd you do with our princess?!"

The blue mare tried to fly up to the balcony, but was held back by an orange mare with a blonde mane, which was in a ponytail, and green eyes. "Whoa there, Nelly!" the orange mare exclaimed.

The dark Alicorn laughed and spoke again in the same tone. "What? Am I not royal enough for you?" Her tone shifted to a more serious one. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Ooh, ooh, more guessing games!" exclaimed the same pink mare from before. "Um, Hokey Smokes! How about… Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty! Black Snooty!" Her excited chatter was interrupted when the orange mare, who was still holding back the blue Pegasus, stuffed an apple into the pink pony's mouth, though she still tried to continue talking in an excited tone. Had the situation not been so grave, I would have laughed at her antics. I had never seen a pony so cheerful and seemingly oblivious, especially in a situation like this.

The dark Alicorn flew up to the yellow mare directing the songbirds, causing her to cower. "Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?" she said in an irritated tone. _A thousand years? She must be immortal, also like Celestia!_

She now flew over to the white mare on the balcony, flicking her chin with a tendril of mist. "Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" _Legend? Signs?_ Memories of an old pony tale I used to read suddenly came into my mind. _That's it! She's-_

My thoughts were caught short as the pony who I assumed to be Twilight Sparkle called out to the dark Alicorn boldly. "I did! And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!" Nightmare Moon. The very name from the tale I had read. The Alicorn who once ruled alongside Celestia, but was said to have been corrupted by jealousy and bitterness and rebelled against Celestia, but was banished to the moon by the Princess.

"Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me." Nightmare Moon stated, sounding slightly impressed. "Then you also know why I'm here."

"You're here to… to…" Twilight gulped in fear, unable to continue.

Nightmare Moon chuckled evilly. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!" Nightmare Moon continued to laugh loudly as the mist that made her mane expanded and swirled, creating a large vortex above her, containing flashes of lightning. _Just how powerful is this mare? She obviously was strong enough to somehow overcome Celestia… How can any of us stop her?_ As Nightmare Moon's laughter became even more maniacal, causing all the ponies around me to cower, I felt something that I rarely felt, even in all the times I had battled mythical and dangerous creatures day after day.

I felt fear.

**A/N: First off, sorry for the delay in update! Internet was on the fritz/out for several days, fixed now though. Here is where Edge's story merges with canon events. From here, this part of the story continues to follow the episode, but there will be changes thanks to Edge's presence. I'm currently trying to decide how loosely to stick to the episode, anywhere from copy and paste a manuscript then watch the episode bit by bit transcribing the action and then adding Edge in to watch the episode beforehand, keep the manuscript handy as a reference, and just wing it from there. I'm leaning towards winging it, because I really think this story will turn out better and be more interesting (Especially to those who have seen the episodes) if I don't bind myself to closely to the original episode, but if anyone reading this has input, I'm happy to listen! Either way, I have at least a couple notable changes planned that I think will turn out nicely.**

**Also, thanks to Keyblade132 for giving this story its first favorite!**

**See you all next time!  
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**JRuss93 is out.**

**Peace! /)***


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